CAIP Board of Directors

The CAIP Board of Directors is a group of Clinic Directors and Irlen Diagnosticians who have worked together as volunteers to organize this professional association.

We have added three board members -- all Certified Irlen Screeners -- one from British Columbia, one from the prairie provinces & one from Quebec/Atlantic provinces. We have an opening for one from Ontario and are taking applications for this position at this time.

Nola’s background education was in the field of Nursing and Nursing Administration. She developed a keen interest in Irlen Syndrome in 1999, when her stepdaughter was tested. She became a Certified Irlen Screener in 2000 and was trained by Helen Irlen in 2010 to be a Certified Irlen Diagnostician. She loves doing presentations and teaching other professionals about Irlen Syndrome.

Nola is proud to be President of CAIP and looks forward to working with Irlen Professionals to create greater awareness of Irlen Syndrome in Canada. She looks forward to helping to create an avenue for ongoing education by utilizing the Internet and social media.

Judy worked both as a nurse and a teacher prior to completing a Masters degree in Educational Psychology in 1994. Her major focus was reading and early reading intervention.

Judy in partnership with two colleagues established a private company, Reading and Writing Consultants, Inc. in Edmonton, AB. The company’s three areas of specialization were and are reading assessments, tutoring people with reading difficulties and providing workshops for teachers in the reading area.

As Judy and her colleagues successfully tutored students and adults in reading, they came across more that one student who did not progress as anticipated. Quite by chance, Judy began to read Helen Irlen’s book, Reading by the Colors. During her coursework, no one had ever suggested asking the reader to describe what was happening on the page. She promptly put that question to a Grade 4 student who could read the first page of a novel quickly and accurately. When she continued to the second page, her reading fell apart. The student responded that there were blobs of yellow covering some of the words on the page. She was guessing what the words under the blobs were.

Judy became an Irlen Screener in November 1996. The Reading Specialists at Reading & Writing Consultants began to include Irlen Screenings in their services to optimize their tutoring services, and now, actively disseminate Irlen information.

In February 2003, Judy was trained at the Irlen Institute in Long Beach, California as a Certified Irlen Diagnostician. Since her training she has assessed more than 2000 people, both adults and children, for the Irlen Spectral filters. Judy’s practice covers Northern Alberta, where she has trained a network of Irlen Screeners. Judy also gives seminars at teachers’ conventions, private companies and parent groups on Irlen Syndrome.

Jacques has a rich experience as a teacher, teacher of the deaf, means and resource teacher, and university professor where he trained teachers and Means and Resource teachers. Beyond acting as Educational supervisor, he also worked as a consultant to provincial assessment and treatment agencies in the fields of severe behavior and child and adolescent psychiatry. His expertise, beyond Irlen Syndrome, touches on learning disabilities, sensory handicaps, attention disorders and school motivation. He frequently gives workshops to teachers of learning-disabled adults. He is also the author of many articles about Irlen Syndrome aimed at the general public.

Susan Shepherd, Irlen DiagnosticianSecretary of the Canadian Association of Irlen ProfessionalsClinic Director- on Leave of Absence

I first learned of Irlen Syndrome through my oldest son who was casually identified as having it by his friend’s mother in his last year of university. But we had no idea how to pursue help for him at that time. I used to own a Kumon Math and Reading Centre and over the years had two students who had Irlen Syndrome so I had a tiny bit of knowledge about Irlen Syndrome. One day, a new student arrived who complained that the words moved, so I started to do a bit of research. When I learned I could be a screener, I applied right away for the training. During the course of the training, I realized I too have Irlen Syndrome. I booked an appointment with the Irlen Diagnositican as soon as I could. Since receiving my filters, I resumed studying for my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology for the specific purpose of becoming an Irlen Diagnostician. I know that I could not have completed the intense study and work required for the degree without the Irlen Filters. I remember how hard it was to study without them! I love my role as teacher and mentor, but helping people who have Irlen Syndrome has captured my heart and interest like nothing else I have ever experienced. I have come across many students and their parents with Irlen syndrome. The children and adults who have gone to a diagnostician for their Irlen filters have had their lives change and it is a joy to behold and witness the transformation in their lives. Currently, I am on a leave of absence from my work as an Irlen Diagnostician as I am teaching Grade Four in remote Northern Manitoba – the nearest Tim’s is four hours down a gravel road. Winnipeg is a twelve-hour drive. I look forward to returning to the Irlen work in the future when my teaching role here is done.

Serving as the General Secretary of the Canadian Association of Irlen Professionals is also an exciting part of my Irlen journey as we work together to raise awareness of Irlen Syndrome in Canada and ensure that our members are well trained and offer high quality service to their Irlen clients.

Debbie Sniderman, M.Ed., Certified Irlen DiagnosticianGeneral Board Member of the Canadian Association of Irlen Professionals

Debbie worked as a special education teacher and early childhood teacher before getting her Masters degree in education in language arts in 2000. Her focus of study was reading and language.

Debbie joined Reading and Writing Consultants, Inc. in Edmonton, Alberta in1998. She enjoys her partnership with her two colleagues helping to run a private business for testing and tutoring people with reading difficulties.

Upon training for her masters, Debbie was introduced to the difficulties encountered by people with Irlen syndrome. In 1999, she became an Irlen screener, and in 2006, she was trained to be a diagnostician.

Debbie’s tutoring practice has grown, as has her work with Irlen screenings and lens assessments. Dealing with Irlen syndrome has become one of the most effective and efficient strategies for dealing with students’ reading difficulties.